cearcăn

See also: cearcan

Romanian

Etymology

The exact etymology is uncertain, but it was probably derived through a conflation of an inherited form of Latin circinus and a word borrowed directly from Ancient Greek κίρκινος (kírkinos)), reflecting the lack of palatalization on the latter -c-, as well as the irregular dipgthongization of the initial -e- which tends to be avoided in masculine words, compare the development of proaspăt with the same irregular diphthongization. It is also possible that the word is an internal derivation from cerc (“circle”) in Romanian. Compare French cerne.

Pronunciation

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Noun

cearcăn n (plural cearcăne)

1. dark ring or circle under the eyes
2. halo
3. (archaic) compass of a cooper
4. (obsolete) circle

Declension

Declension of cearcăn

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) cearcăn	cearcănul	(niște) cearcăne	cearcănele
genitive/dative	(unui) cearcăn	cearcănului	(unor) cearcăne	cearcănelor
vocative	cearcănule		cearcănelor

Related terms

• cerc